I need ideas. What is the best choice?

[Lashes09]

could i get a link to the ECUs? and then whats the point of a power programmer? or do they do anything good at all?

 

[nothingfiction]

Yes... Ask and you shall receive...

MegaSquirt
http://www.symtechlabs.com/catalog/complete-420a-megasquirt-ems-kit-p-57.html?osCsid=067d81b5b3cbc63a12c923e4c3921f04

Howell Automotive AFX ECU
http://howellautomotive.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2609

 

[Lashes09]

So would a programmer do something similar? and also, I've heard of people sending their ECU in and getting it remapped or something like that?

 

[#40Fan]

I selected other because I think you should just save your money.

 

[nothingfiction]

the afx is very plug and play. its a learning computer that will autotune things if it has it in its programming to do so. it will make you run richer tho from what i have read. there is nothing to tune as it does it all itself. but it doesnt have all the ability MS does, but it will learn your fuel maps and air flow and everything and it will relearn with any upgrade that you do. the stock ecu has this same software too from what i am told however it is unable to autotune itself and it is very restricted to the programming of that year and model. i have also read the afx unit is not good on cars with turbo but have read some NA/ with turbo having no problems.

 

[say4life]

I would say go with the 4g63 swap, although it'll be harder than building the 420a, its got more potential! unless thats gonna be your dd and $ is a little tight I would say building the 420a is a better way, not gonna be all that, but it'll do you some satisfaction!

 

[jazzfoxx123]

4g63 guys end up rebuilding there blocks anyways so why not just rebuild a 420a?

 

[nothingfiction]

the 420A block is a chrysler block, the head is actually a Lotus head (i.e. the Lotus Elise) and was actually designed for racing applications. So you know it has a lot of potential. Sure since Chrysler started using them, being chrysler... they used the cheapest parts they could find to build the 420A engine. it is not a bad engine at all. it may not have 200 horsepower straight out of the box but hey, you did spend 3 thousand dollars less for it. So it really evens out if you think about it. after slapping on a stage one turbo system at 5PSI your already pushing out 200-225 Horspower on a completely stock motor. That's 1.5 seconds faster than a stock GS'T. and That's not even a 3 thousand dollar turbo system!

Hahn Racecraft - Automotive Turbosystems

Slap on a stage 2 turbo system on a completely bone stock 420A and now you have 250-275 HorsePower. That's 2.3 seconds faster than a stock GS-T. the Stage 2 is roughly 3 thousand (or more) depending where you get it from) So it truly is actually a better platform than the 4G63 guys have unless you have the all wheel drive package.
Hahn Racecraft - Automotive Turbosystems

Dollar per dollar... KellyBlueBook lists the 1999 RS as $1,750 if in EXCELLENT condition with 91,000 miles.
they list the 1999 GS as $2,225 if in EXCELLENT condition with 91,000 miles on it.
they list the 1999 GS-T as $2,925 if in EXCELLENT condition with 91,000 miles on it.
they list the 1999 GSX as $3,850 if in EXCELLENT condition with 91,000 miles on it.

Long story short. Yes the 4G63 has more power out of the box and was built for boost.
the stock 420A can handle up to 9 PSI of boost.

For the price of your 2 thousand dollar RS you saved 2 thousand dollars by not getting the GS-T. Whereas you spend that saved 2 thousand dollars and slap on a stage 1 turbo system and oh my God your actually faster than the GS-T by a whole 1.5 seconds and don't have to deal with other crap like crankwalk either.

Suck on it!

 

[VelocitàPaola]

This topic has really been beaten to death in many other threads before this one. OP, out of the options you listed in your poll, "build my engine" is the only viable one. Of course, you could swap a 4G63 into your car with enough time and money... but you could also swap in a GE T58-8F with enough time and money (Jet Beetle).

So, it's not really about having enough of those things, it's about what's practical for 99.999% of all 2G N/T DSM owners to accomplish.